AALA 2018 -- Memorial Day Weekend

Hello AALA Participants,

AALA 2018, Freedom From Bondage, turned out to be a complete success. The committee was faced with a few challenges last year that could have gone either way. Circumstances left us with an Executive committee, which according to our bylaws was not qualified for the task of executing the AALA convention. We had very little in the bank to work with and no hotel to call home.

Against all odds, none of us were ready to give up and we collectively pulled it together. Up until a couple months before, we hadn’t found a convention home. And because of one of the committee member’s due diligence (thank you Adam R.), we landed at the Millennium Biltmore Downtown. I can only speak for myself, but I was practically in shock when we did our first walk-thru of the new venue. It was bigger and prettier than any convention venue I had ever attended. I still don’t know how a group of our sorts with all of our “What it was likes” history was able to get our foot in the door of this castle. Thank you Adam R, Ari U, and Digby, for your charm and negotiation skills.

A day at a time, the committee planned and executed successful fundraisers. We had a blast a Spooky Bingo, our Holiday show was a hoot, our Spaghetti Bingo Cake Auction brought in more funds than we could have imagined, our “Day After St. Patty’s Day Bingo” was lots of fun, and our variety show “Stars Among Us” demonstrated what kind of show stopping talent resided amongst our fellows. We ended up setting a record of going into convention with more funds than any of the prior years (as could be remembered by past execs).

After the convention wrap-up, I received a call from Ari U (co-chair 2018), and he proudly delivered some great news – we were invited back to the Biltmore for AALA 2019. Brian S (2018 Treasurer) reported that we had a healthy sum of funds leftover to insure that we had a great head start for 2019. Thank you Brian D (AALA Raffle Chair) for your devotion to your commitment that heavily contributed to our financial stability.

Thank you to everyone who participated in any way this past year. It has been such an honor serving as your Chair and I look forward to stepping into my new role on Exec as the 2019 AALA Advisor.